WEBVTT KING ARRESTS.WMTWEWS 8'S DAVID CHARNS LOOKSAT THE NUMBERS.DAVID: MAINE DRUG AGENTS MADEMORE THAN 600 ARRESTS IN 2016,ABOUT HALF INVOLVED HEROIN ORPRESCRIPTION PILLS.ROY MCKINNEY IS HEAD OF THEMDEA.>> OUR FOCUS IS ON THE OPIOIDAND IT HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME.STARTING FROM THE OXYCODIN PILLS, AND NOW WITH THEREADYAVAILILITY OF HEROIN ANDFENTANYL. DAVID: THOSE HUNDREDS OF ARRESTSNETTED MORE THAN 12 POUNDS OFHEROIN, OR ABOUT 57,000INDIVIDUAL DOSES, AGENTSESTIMATE.THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FENTANAND PRESCRIPTION PILLS PULLEDOUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.PTHIS IS WHERE DRUG AGENTS MADEBUSTS IN 2014, THE LARGER THERED CIRCLE, THE MORE PEOPLEARRESTED.THIS IS WHAT THE MAP LOOKS LIKEFOR LAST YEAR, THERE'S A LGEFOCUS IN SOUTHERN MAINE, BUTMORE ARRESTS HEADED UP EYE 95TOWARD PRESQUE ISLE AND CARIBOU.THAT'S NOT SURPRISING.THE STATE'S LARGEST DRUG BUST IN2016 INCLUDED ABOUT A HALFMILLION DOLLARS-WORTH OF HEROIN, ALL DESTINED FOR NORTHERNMAINE.THIS IS WHERE THERE IS A HIGHDEMAND.THEY HAVE 50-PLUS BOOTS ON THEGROUND WANT TO BREAK UP.>> THAT'S OUR ROLE, IS TODISRUPT THAT SUPPLY, TO MAKE ITMORE DIFFICULT FOR THE USER TOFIND THAT DRUG AND FOR THETRAFFICKER TO BENIT FROM THESALE.DAVID: TAKING A CLOSER LOOKAUGUSTA LED WITH THE MOST HEROIN, ARRESTS WITH 20 FOR LAST YEAR , FOLLOWED BY PORTLAND WITH 19.BUT THE NUMBERS CAN BEMISLEADING.YORK HAD 13 ARRESTS IN TOWN, BIT'S ONE OF THE FI STOPS ASYOU HEAD INTO MAINE ON THETURNPIKE, AND A SPOT POLICEOFTEN MAKE ARRESTS WHEN DEALERSFIRST PAY US AN UNWELCOMEDVISIT.WE'VE BROKEN DOWN THE ARRTDATA TOWN BY TOWN SO YOU CAN SEEHOW MANY ARRESTS MAINE DRUGARRESTS MADE RIGHWHERE YOULIVE.IT'ALL AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW ONWMTW.COM AND INSIDE OUR APP.

Maine drug agents seized more than 12 pounds of heroin in 2016.
The total seizure, which involved more than 300 individual arrests in Maine involving heroin and opiods, equals about 57,000 doses, the agency estimated Tuesday.
Analysis of heroin arrests from 2012 to 2016 showed a large increase in arrests statewide, especially in southern Maine. Over the past few years, arrests have increased in northern Maine toward Interstate 95.
Augusta had the most arrests with 20, followed by Portland with 19.
The numbers can be misleading, as York ranked number 3. York is one of the first towns in southern Maine as dealers head north on the Maine Turnpike.
More than 2 pounds of heroin was seized in one arrest in Scarborough in June. Agents estimated the total value of that bust to be about $500,000.
Drug agents also seized about 1.5 pounds of illicit fentanyl in 2016. The drug is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While not as frequent, drug agents seized about 3,000 dosage units of prescription pills and opioids.
"That's our role, to disrupt that supply, to make it more difficult for the user to find that drug and for the trafficker to benefit from the sale," Maine Drug Enforcement Administration Director Roy McKinney said.
In 2016, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency was involved in 627 drug arrests, of which 281 involved heroin and 104 involved opioids.
Methamphetamine and cocaine are also major concerns.
Drug agents responded to 125 suspected meth labs last year, yielding 111 arrests.
In 2015, 272 Mainers died from heroin or opioid-related overdoses. The numbers for 2016 have not yet been released, but officials estimated it will top 300.

PORTLAND, Maine —

Maine drug agents seized more than 12 pounds of heroin in 2016.

The total seizure, which involved more than 300 individual arrests in Maine involving heroin and opiods, equals about 57,000 doses, the agency estimated Tuesday.

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Analysis of heroin arrests from 2012 to 2016 showed a large increase in arrests statewide, especially in southern Maine. Over the past few years, arrests have increased in northern Maine toward Interstate 95.

Augusta had the most arrests with 20, followed by Portland with 19.

The numbers can be misleading, as York ranked number 3. York is one of the first towns in southern Maine as dealers head north on the Maine Turnpike.

More than 2 pounds of heroin was seized in one arrest in Scarborough in June. Agents estimated the total value of that bust to be about $500,000.

Drug agents also seized about 1.5 pounds of illicit fentanyl in 2016. The drug is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WMTW

This heat map from 2012 to 2016 shows where drug arrests are happening. Each circle represents one arrest. The larger the circle, the more arrests.

While not as frequent, drug agents seized about 3,000 dosage units of prescription pills and opioids.

"That's our role, to disrupt that supply, to make it more difficult for the user to find that drug and for the trafficker to benefit from the sale," Maine Drug Enforcement Administration Director Roy McKinney said.

In 2016, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency was involved in 627 drug arrests, of which 281 involved heroin and 104 involved opioids.